Posted on 02/01/2008 5:03:19 AM PST by A2J
In the coming weeks, I will acknowledge an anniversary of thirty (30) years as a registered Republican. I have always been a Republican and my first presidential election was a vote cast for Ronaldus Magnus, one of my heroes.
I have always voted the GOP line in state and local races, except when there were only Democrats running wherein I would either vote for the most conservative or skip that particular match up entirely.
I'm afraid that this year will be different.
As a conservative who found a home in the GOP 30 years ago, I now find myself without a home, particularly as the GOP has been gradually becoming the DNC-Lite over the past eight (8) years. To say that I'm now frustrated with the GOP would be an enormous understatement but yet I find myself more frustrated and even bitter at such conservative stalwarts as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, two I have always enjoyed listening to and agree with for the most part.
It is not my intention to challenge the pedigree of their conservatism, but rather to tell them and the collective conservatives and conservative wannabes who are now complaining about the ascendancy of John McCain, a despicable little man, to shut the hell up.
Why? Because they've laid the steps for McCain's rise.
Just this week I listened to Rush complain about McCain and Huckabee, who should step aside and support Romney who is more conservative than McCain, with Rush's earlier comments that should McCain or Huckabee receive the nomination, they would destroy the GOP...a statement to which I agree. Additionally, just this week Rush was championing conservatism over the GOP, as he and all conservatives should, and yet when asked as to whether he would support McCain if he is nominated, Rush flip-flopped, ala John Kerry, when he said that he would do nothing to harm the GOP.
Such doublespeak is what cracks the door open for rats like McCain.
Sean Hannity, "Mr. Nice Guy," is no different especially when it comes to anyone who has an "R" after his name.
During Arnold Schwarzenegger's gubernatorial run against Grey Davis, Hannity nearly wet his pants in adoration of Schwarzenegger. He has been the same toward "Mr. Character," Rudy Giuliani. And now he wants to feign anger and frustration over Schwarzenegger's endorsement of the little man from Arizona. In fact, Hannity ridiculed Schwarzenegger's comments as being void of the ideals and core values of Ronald Reagan.
While I cannot speak for all true-blue conservatives, I know that my frustration truly lies with people like Rush and Hannity who openly embrace liberal Republicans and yet now complain that those same ones whom they have embraced are now going to destroy the party. Maybe the GOP should be allowed to continue to merge with the DNC. Maybe then we can build a true conservative party from the ashes.
To me, true conservatism transcends parties and labels and remains absolute and unchangeable, however hard others may try to redefine it. "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are the "marching orders" for all conservatives regardless of party and while the GOP is currently undergoing a redefinition, conservatism must never.
But, alas, as long as we are more obsessed with making sure that GOP candidates are elected instead of true conservatives, we are not only guaranteeing the destruction of a Grand Old Party, but worse, we become the willing participants in the assault on conservatism.
This year will mark a new era in my long history of voting Republican in that should John McCain become the Republican nominee, I will choose my convictions over my party and withhold my vote because if I truly love America, as we all claim to, then why would I continue to inoculate her with more poison by choosing party over principles?
Unintended pun?
regards - red
Wasn’t it Rush who said after 2006 that he would never again carry the water for any candidate ?
And, he’s not. He has endorsed no one. He’s merely pointed out positions taken by each candidate, pro or con.
Hannity is a different mater entirely.
I can hold my nose, voting for the lesser of two evils, no longer.
Like a divorce that one fights against. In the end it comes, with all the soul wrenching agony and misery one can imagine.
After 45 + years of wedded unhappiness to the Republican Party, this year has taught me that to continue in this relationship is futile. The divorce has been filed.
This is going to be a real tough one for me. I’ve never considered myself a republican, just a conservative. I got really teed off at the republican party when, after the 1994 election, Newt and the rest of the republican congress never played one day of offense against the politics of personal destruction. By the time the Lewinsky scandal hit Newt was nowhere to be found. A little too busy with his new squeeze. Nobody will ever convince me that the dems didn’t know about his affair and were holding it over his head. Things have just steadily gone downhill since then. Republicans still cannot play offense and are absolutely pathetic at defense.
I cannot stand John McCain. I really don’t give a rat’s butt what he did in Vietnam. He’s a fake phoney fraud. I remember when he would never discuss his experience in Vietnam. Then, miraculously, when he decided to run for president the first time he wrote a book about those experiences. I knew then this guy was a dirt bag. Then, because he lost to Bush because he claims dirty tricks in South Carolina, he has spent most of the past 7 years doing everything in his power to sabotage the Bush presidency. Funny how is playing those same dirty tricks on Mitt Romney in spades.
I don’t know how I will feel in September but as of today if it’s McCain against Obama I go for Obama. If it’s McCain against Clinton I may have to go for McCain. Don’t know if I could take another 4 or possibly 8 years of the Clintons. Mind you, it might be fun if she gets in trouble and gets impeached. How cool would it be to have a husband and wife both impeached?
I just wish Mitt had run a better campaign. I was surprized very few of my friends were aware that when some terrorist type from Afghanistan was due to speak at Harvard Mitt would not provide state troopers for the guy’s security. He got a lot of grief but he said no way were the taxpayers of Massachusetts going to pay to protect that guy. He should have a campaign commercial with that information.
Yeah, Hannity was worshiping at the Guiliani altar. Now we know exactly who Guiliani is with his endorsement of McLame. Guiliani is the twin of Arnold Kennedy only a bit more accomplished.
Hannity’s year-long, rabid support of Rudy Giuliani shut the door for the rise of the real conservatives, Hunter, Thompson, and Tancredo. He helped make it virtually impossible for the real conservatives to get any traction.
Rush did not help. Neither has Ingraham, Fox, and others.
The reason is simple. They were reading “poll tea leaves” and were afraid to stand behind a conservative. In Hannity’s case, he actively supported a radical social liberal, and now is pretending there’s something about McCain that is against his principles.
They were acting based on audience share, and it had absolutely nothing to do with principled conservatism. In short, it is to be remembered in the future that talk show hosts are NOT leaders. Their decisions are based on “business.”
Any blind man could have told everyone last year that Duncan Hunter was the real conservative in the race. And they joined with the MSM in marginalizing him.
Right now, the conservative’s best hope is to influence the VP selection, but McCain’s going to run away with this at this point, so there’s no reason he should listen to anything we say.
We allowed ourselves to be divided, we dallied, we were ultra-picky and refused to acknowledge that a 30% block divided 5 ways gave no one any chance of success.
I’m sick over it.
Stopped listening to Vannity when he was shilling for Janine Pirro.
The man is an intellectual lightweight who will attach himself like a leech to whomever he believes will bring ratings and access.
I am disappointed in Rush for not getting behind Thompson early in the game. Perhaps he knew something we didn’t, perhaps he was wary of queering his relations with the GOP movers and shakers. We will never know.
My only consolation is that the GOP can be very effective as an opposition party.
McCain is 70% conservative and 30% liberal. It is stupid and unproductive for people to keep mindlessly calling him liberal. (Actually, his conservative scores run closer to 80%, but I am giving his critics the benefit of the doubt.)
If he wins, the 30% will be annoying. But if we get hill or obama, who are 3% conservative, how will you like the other 97%?
“I know that my frustration truly lies with people like Rush and Hannity who openly embrace liberal Republicans and yet now complain that those same ones whom they have embraced are now going to destroy the party.”
Hannity embraces Liberal Republicans - Dead Right!
Limbaugh embraces Liberal Republicans - Dead Wrong!
I held my nose and voted for Bob Dole. I refuse to do that ever again. I will NOT vote for McCain! AND I get sick of hearing the pundits say that we will come back to the party on election day. They are WRONG!
I cannot listen to Hannity either. I listen to Howie Carr from 3-7. Howie has been a big supporter of Mitt but is very up front about his reason. Mitt would be good for him. He’s known Mitt for years and his biggest hope is that Mitt would walk to Air Force One or Marine One holding Howie’s book under his arm with the title in plain sight. He figured that would be good for about another 100K book sales. Now that is a talk show host who is completely honest about his reason for shilling for a candidate.
Hannity on the other hand spends his entire show whining. I’d rather listen to turkeys clucking for 3 hours.
I hope he gets booed off the stage at CPAC
I think Hannity hurt the Republican efforts this election with his encouraging the splitting of the vote for his pal Rudy.
Regards
Hannity has more than made his own choices apparent. Rush has supported President Bush, but he has not hesitated to criticize some of his policies when they ran counter to conservative beliefs. And as you are aware, his brother penned an article supporting Fred Thompson, and I have to believe it was done in consultation and agreement with Rush. So, can you provide a source which proves that Rush has openly embraced a liberal Republican? Any liberal Republican?
Bump and well said.
I can already hear the seeds being laid on Hannity’s show for him to start talking up McCain once he wins the nomination.
Maybe if these guys actually got behind the conservative during the primaries instead of holding to some standard of neutrality it would help the conservative candidates.
But the cynical part of me thinks that’ll never happen because that would endanger any future interview opportunities.
And he will give away 100% of America to his illegal pals.
Regards
The Party has to realize the schism they have brought about with this RINO takeover, assisted by the MSM who ignored or blacked-out coverage of good conservatives, and excluded them from debates in tandem with some state GOP parties.
They have not changed their tone one bit on Reconquista as well, even though the rank and file is pissed off with them and flooded them with phonecalls as well as put an end to RNC contributions.
WELL, TO HELL WITH THEM, and to hell with Rush and Hannity if they end up rationalizing somehow and supporting McCAIN over Hillary or Obama in the General Election on some contrived justification.
“If he wins, the 30% will be annoying. But if we get hill or obama, who are 3% conservative, how will you like the other 97%?”
If McCain is the best the GOP can do then it’s time for Conservatives to start a new political party.
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